Get a contribution of up to $300,000 for your project to increase knowledge and public confidence.
Natural Resources Canada’s Zero Emission Vehicle Awareness Initiative (ZEVAI) supports projects that aim to increase awareness of, knowledge of, and public confidence in zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) and public charging and refueling infrastructure. The ZEVAI helps fund outreach, education and capacity-building activities, ultimately enabling greater adoption of ZEVs by Canadians in all regions of the country.
ZEVs are vehicles that do not produce polluting exhaust, including fully battery- electric, plug-in hybrid electric, and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles. Given that ZEVs are “fuelled” and maintained differently than conventional vehicles, Canadians are unfamiliar with how they work. They need proof that a ZEV can provide an equal or better driving experience and value when compared with a conventional internal combustion engine vehicle.
Nationwide surveys repeatedly show that this lack of awareness, knowledge and public confidence is a key barrier to adoption of ZEVs on a wider scale. Therefore, addressing gaps in ZEV knowledge and experience for consumers and businesses is critical to supporting Canadians through the decision-making process for purchasing a ZEV.
In 2022, the Government of Canada issued a plan for reducing emissions: 2030 Emissions Reductions Plan: Canada’s Next Steps for Clean Air and a Strong Economy. In it, the Government reinforced its commitment to fight climate change, create jobs, and ensure that Canadians are global leaders in the transition to clean industries and technologies.
The plan is an ambitious and achievable sector-by-sector approach. With it, the Government aims to reach its new climate target of cutting emissions by 40 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030, and to put us on track toward our goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
On-road transportation accounts for about 20 percent of Canada’s total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Reducing transportation emissions is critical to achieving the Government’s more ambitious climate change commitments and is consistent with the global shift toward ZEVs.
To meet that critical need, the Government of Canada has set a mandatory target for all new light-duty cars and passenger trucks sales to be ZEVs by 2035. The Government is investing an additional $3 billion to ensure Canada reaches these goals. To provide certainty about the path to getting there, the Government will continue to pursue a combination of investments and regulations to help Canadians and industry in this transition.
This 2022 Call for Proposals seeks proposals for new and innovative projects that aim to address awareness and knowledge gaps among Canadians on light-duty ZEVs and ZEV technologies, including BEV, PHEV, and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles. This stream is also open to battery-powered micro-mobility (i.e., small, lightweight vehicles operating at low speeds, including scooters, e-bikes, and cargo e-bikes). Natural Resources Canada has a separate ZEVAI stream for commercial fleets, focussed on medium and heavy-duty zero and low-emission vehicles, with a dedicated Call for Proposals to be launched in summer 2022.
For Indigenous-led awareness and education projects, ZEVAI has dedicated notional funding, and will administer unique Indigenous application processes.
The Government of Canada is committed to increasing diversity, equity and inclusion in all sectors and areas of activity. Therefore, ZEVAI encourages applicants to highlight aspects of project proposals that will advance all forms of diversity, equity and inclusion (e.g., racial, gender, linguistic) within project teams, activities and project outcomes. Additionally, NRCan is encouraging applicants to make a formal commitment to the Government of Canada’s 50-30 Challenge.
Not currently accepting project proposals
Eligibility:
Organizations and legal entities validly incorporated or registered* in Canada, including not-for-profit and for-profit organizations such as:
- electricity or gas utilities
- private sector companies
- industry associations
- research associations
- standards development organizations
- Indigenous and community groups (if interested, please inquire about Indigenous-only funding opportunity)
- Canadian academic institutions
- provincial, territorial, regional or municipal governments or their departments or agencies, where applicable
International legal entities validly incorporated or registered abroad* including for-profit and not-for-profit organizations such as:
- companies
- industry associations
- research associations
- standards organizations
- academic institutions.